Cleaning big enclosures?

[Tikall]

This is going to come off as an extremely noobish question, but I seriously haven't heard mention of this anywhere.

For those really large enclosures (15'x10' or more for example), with more than 2 feet of soil mix for digging, how exactly is the substrate cleaned? Do you ever actually replace all of that substrate, or just spot clean as you see a mess? I mean surely there is liquid waste, so do you have worms in there to take care of it or do you just buy massive amounts of soil frequently?

Thanks!

[mumps]

Depends on the species involved.

I keep Varanus ornatus, so 95% of the waste ends up in the pool. I refer to it as "Poop Soup" lol.

Chris

[Denial]

Like chirs said most people that keep large monitors there monitors go in the water so you just have to clean the water. Most people just spot clean there enclosures and many people add leaf litter and bugs in there enclosures and the bugs take care of alot of the cleaning

[Tikall]

Oh great! I am most interested in Varanus salvator so most of the waste would be in the water for those, too. Not that I plan to get one soon, but this was a breaking point on whether or not I could handle owning a monitor. Not sure I could replace a literal ton of dirt every month if that was required haha. Now I just need to finish college, get a stable job, buy a house, and never stop researching... But someday, perhaps.

[mumps]

Why are you going to college if you want to work in a stable???

JK. Good plan. Varanus salvator are very rewarding to those who care for them properly. Well worth the wait in order to provide the proper conditions. Good luck.

Chris

[wolfy-hound]

There's nothing more rewarding than getting to legitimately use a full sized shovel inside your house. Gotta love monitors. I think I have about 400 lbs of dirt mix in Moggie and Wilson's cage.

I spot clean when needed and I try to give it all a good digging and stirring and such every so often(every few months).

[Tikall]

Why are you going to college if you want to work in a stable???

Nice catch

I am excited for the day getting a monitor will be possible. Till then, my Sumatran short tail python will get me plenty used to cleaning poop soup!

[Mrgbb]

acctually my uncle keeps a water monitor and in the enclosure he keeps isopods (rollie pollies). you can buy them from people who keep tarantulas ...... just dont take them from the outdoors because there heavy parisite holders and you just dont want that around your herps.

the only problems i have with them is that there very tiny so if you have a enclosure with holes there probably gunna get out and the offspring are even smaller so they can deffinatly get out.

but they keep the cage pretty clean all you really have to do is spot clean the big stuff.

oh and one more thing the offspring are little white things that look like mites so dont be alarmed if you see 10000 little white things crawling around.

-Mike H.

[slayer]

There's nothing more rewarding than getting to legitimately use a full sized shovel inside your house. Gotta love monitors.

....................... Aint that the truth!!